Is FCS Software Solutions (NSE:FCSSOFT) A Risky Investment?

The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We can see that FCS Software Solutions Limited (NSE:FCSSOFT) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for FCS Software Solutions

How Much Debt Does FCS Software Solutions Carry?

As you can see below, FCS Software Solutions had ₹241.0m of debt at September 2021, down from ₹259.0m a year prior. However, it also had ₹16.2m in cash, and so its net debt is ₹224.8m.

How Healthy Is FCS Software Solutions' Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that FCS Software Solutions had liabilities of ₹109.4m due within a year, and liabilities of ₹253.9m falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had ₹16.2m in cash and ₹65.0m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling ₹282.0m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Since publicly traded FCS Software Solutions shares are worth a total of ₹7.86b, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since FCS Software Solutions will need earnings to service that debt. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

Over 12 months, FCS Software Solutions made a loss at the EBIT level, and saw its revenue drop to ₹314m, which is a fall of 14%. That's not what we would hope to see.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did FCS Software Solutions's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). To be specific the EBIT loss came in at ₹31m. When we look at that and recall the liabilities on its balance sheet, relative to cash, it seems unwise to us for the company to have any debt. Quite frankly we think the balance sheet is far from match-fit, although it could be improved with time. For example, we would not want to see a repeat of last year's loss of ₹150m. So we do think this stock is quite risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with FCS Software Solutions .

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.